An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Gaidheal > Volumes 44--45, January 1949--December 1950

Ila* Cliairdcan
Mr Donald Shaw MacKinnon,
M.B.E.
THE news of the sudden death
of Mr Donald Shaw MacKinnon
at his home in Edinburgh on
10th February came as a great
shock to his many friends in An
Comunn and to the Highland
community in Edinburgh. He
was present at the last meeting of
the Executive Council and took
part in the discussion.
Mr MacKinnon was born in the
Ross of Mull, but almost all his
life was spent in Edinburgh,
where for many years he had been
closely identified with the work
of the various Highland societies.
For a long period he was Hon.
Secretary of the Celtic Union. He
was also a founder and for a
period Secretary, and latterly
President, of the Clan MacKinnon
Society.
Mr MacKinnon did excellent
work for the Association of High¬
land Societies in Edinburgh during
the First World War, and was
treasurer of a three-day Feill
whiph raised over ^8,000. He
initiated the movement to institute
another Association of Highland
Societies during the recent War,
and served as Hon. Secretary.
Altogether the Association raised
over £11,500 to provide comforts,
etc., for the Highlanders on active
service. In recognition of his
services Mr MacKinnon received
the honour of M.B.E. in the New
Year Honours of 1947.
For many years Mr MacKinnon
had been a member of the Executive
Council of An Comunn Gaidhealach,
and was particularly helpful as a
member of the Finance Committee.
He had recently accepted the
Convenership of the Local Com¬
mittee appointed to arrange for the
National Mod in Edinburgh in
1951.
A large congregation assembled
for the funeral service in the chapel
of Warriston Ctematorium,
Edinburgh. The service was con¬
ducted by the Very Rev. Charles
L. Warr, K.C.V.O., D.D., LL.D.,
Minister of St. Giles and Dean of
the Thistle and Chapel Royal,
assisted by the Rev. Coll A.
MacDonald, D.D., formerly of
Logierait, who offered a prayer in
Gaelic. An Comunn Gaidhealach
was represented by Mr. Farquhar
MacRae, Vice-President, and Mr
Neil Shaw, General Secretary,
while the Edinburgh Branch was
represented by Mr John MacKay,
President, and Mr Donald Cameron,
Secretary.
We express our deep sympathy
with his sister. Miss Jessie F.
MacKinnon, in the loss of a devoted
brother.
Mr. David Urquhart, M.A.
MR. DAVID URQUHART,
M.A., who died in a nursing
home in Glasgow on 27th
January, was a native of Gairloch
and was one of the best known
Gaelic teachers of his generation.
He was successively headmaster
at Achiltibuie, Kyle, and Ferintosh
Schools, and in all of them he gave
Gaelic a prominent place in the
school curriculum.
Mr Urquhart also acted as
President or Secretary of the
branches of An Comunn in the
various places in which he lived.
He taught the Junior Gaelic Class
at the Gaelic Summer School at
Broadford in 1913 and at Inverness
in 1920. He contributed five
lessons to Book IV of Blackie’s
first series of Gaelic School Readers
and also contributed Gaelic articles
to An Gaidheal.
In all his Gaelic work Mr
Urquhart was ably assisted by his
wife, who predeceased him many
years ago. She was crowned
Bard ess at the Oban Mod in 1934,
the only woman who has so far
gained the coveted bardic crown.
We extend to the members of the
family our very sincere sympathy,
and we add the following fine
tribute (reprinted from The North
Star, 4th February, 1950) by Mr
John N. MacLeod.
"A very wide circle of friends in
the Highlands and Isles will learn
with deep regret of the death of
David Urquhart, late headmaster
of Drumsmittal School, Kessock,
who passed away in Glasgow on
January 27. David Urquhart was
a native of Inverasdale, in Gairloch,
where in his youth he drank freely
of the high ideals of Christian life
and character, and those beautiful
traits of the genuine Celt were
very evident in his walk and con¬
versation all through his long life.
Early in life he learned to appre¬
ciate all that was noble in his
native language and culture, and
his facile pen, both in Gaelic and
English, was always ready to extol
the value of that language.
“He held teaching appointments
in Kyle of Lochalsh, Ferintosh,
and Drumsmittal, and in all these
localities he took the deepest
interest, not only in his professional
duties but in the social welfare of
the community. While in Kyle,
he was one of the prime movers in
the building of the Kyle Social
Institute and the first street-
lighting scheme in that village.
His name will long be remembered
in that place with honour and
respect. In Ferintosh and Drums¬
mittal he worked with sustained
energy in all welfare schemes
which helped to maintain the
interest of old and young.
“After he retired, he lived for
some years in Kilillan, Lochalsh,
where his daughter, Colina, had
charge of the local school. There
his gracious and saintly wife died,
and everyone who knew her felt
that a woman of noble character
and unique spiritual graces had been
called to higher service.
“David Urquhart was one of the
most accurate writers of Gaelic of
the present day. He contributed a
number of lessons to the first set
of Gaelic Readers for schools, and
his nature lessons are of special
interest. He wrote a School
Geography of Scotland in Gaelic,
but unfortunately it was never
published.
“In the difficult task of trans¬
lating English into Gaelic he was
most successful, and those contri¬
butions, which appeared from time
to time in periodicals, showed his
mastery of the real genius of his
native language. It is a pity we
have not a greater range from his
able pen, but poor health over a
long number of years prevented him
from producing more in this field,
for which his talents were so
suitable.
“David had a charming per¬
sonality. He hated the limelight,
because he was so full of that
humility and self-effacement which
is one of the hallmarks of the
sincere Gael. His friendship was
fast and abiding, and there was no
guile in his nature. If David
left enemies behind him in this
world, it was certainly not his
fault, for he trusted everyone to
be on the square to himself and to
all mankind, just as he himself
always was. He suffered from
ill-health for many years, but he
never complained, and was always
solicitous for the welfare and
happiness of those around him.
His devoted family cared for him
to the last, and they will always
be beloved for the sake of their
noble parents.
“We in the Highlands are much
the poorer by his passing, but he
has left a noble record behind him,
which will always remain as a
sweet memory in the hearts of his
many friends. ’ ’
(Continued on next page)
— 45 —